What’s in Giving? (2)

Let’s do a little biology, shall we? Hold your breath and count one to ten. I bet that felt like you would suffocate! That’s because you did not allow the carbon dioxide in you to get out. Carbon dioxide is the waste product of your respiration- you inhale oxygen (O₂) and exhale carbon dioxide (CO₂). Aside from breathing, CO₂ in its gas form can also be produced artificially by burning fossil fuels like oil, diesel and coal, or naturally through volcanic eruption. While CO₂ has its great uses, human exposure to its high concentration can result in headache, fatigue, dizziness, sweating, memory loss, depression, nausea and confusion, among others. In fact, exposure to 10% or more concentration can cause death.

So, you have a problem with giving? I have a brilliant idea. Plants stand lazily around and they don’t pay a dime for the CO₂ you give them for photosynthesis. Why not starve them by holding in the CO₂? Oh, sorry I missed out a little detail- holding in CO₂ will kill you in a matter of minutes. Did I hear you say you need oxygen? My word! Pardon my omission that I didn’t mention that trees and plants absorb the CO₂ and release oxygen during photosynthesis. And since you wanted to starve them a moment ago, they just might be planning retaliation. Seriously, what makes you think you are the greatest giver? You may in fact be the greatest beneficiary of others’ giving. Here is why giving is very important:

1. Freely have you received: there are several things you have naturally that you didn’t pay for. If you have to pay for all the favours you have ever received in your life, do you think you can afford it? Having received a lot of blessings; it’s time to become a blessing.
2. It’s dangerous not to give: it is easy to focus on the cost of giving but have you ever considered the greater cost of not giving? You naturally give CO₂ but there are people whose respiration is impaired and they need ventilators to get the carbon dioxide out and put oxygen into their body. That isn’t cheap! Your house may soon become a junkyard if you never give anything away. It even takes a lot less to give a smile than to frown?
3. It can save your life: Les Brown told of an expedition somewhere in Africa to catch a rare breed of monkeys. A particular kind of nut loved by the monkeys was put in rope-tied bottles. As the monkeys reached for the nuts, they couldn’t remove their fits while still holding to them so they were caught. You are holding to some things you should let go- bad relationships, emotional troubles, bad habits?